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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Load Up the Pantry

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Terry Wereb" <frostedacres@gmail.com>
  • To: "Healthy soil and sustainable growing" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Load Up the Pantry
  • Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:35:51 -0400

 in January, A local CSA type organization approached the farm group I belong to about helping to supply the  boxes they make available  to their customers.  I was told yesterday that iwas the first producer within out group to call in with a harvestable crop, and due to it's nature, was to deal directly with a specific broker rather than through the group-- the broker's clients are restaurants and grocery store chains-- the chains are not willing to pay enough for me to  wildcraft the food item, so it is quite possible that item will not be available locally for a while.
 Amazing that in our "urban area" a different type of CSA has emerged-- a group that is like a broker or clearinghouse, rather than the customers going to one farm.. the CSA group approaches the different farms and offers to buy the product-- and the farmer can set the price. All the farms are within 100 miles of the HQ center. Oddly, this unusual arrangement looks like the only way for me to market rabbit meat- the conventional methods are too cost prohibitive for all concerned.
 I have been enjoying beef produced by a neighbor for a couple years now- I can get raw milk when I want it --('either one farmer's bulk tank 'leaks' or I go to the Amish farm...)I have been given a group of banty chickens- mostly roos-- they range for most of their forage, and will certainly taste good to both me and the dog when I start to harvest them. I made arrangements to  buy a couple turkey ( royal palm)  poults when they hatch, and the hens (buckeyes) that I will be getting chicks from  are laying well enough to start incubating eggs. The farm group is realizing that what is happening across the pond is increasing the demand for local foods-- we can't keep up with the demand!!!! Maybe next week, I Will bid on 50 cent roos at the auction- inexpensive, local food---a pet food processor is actually paying more for rabbit than the USDA processor is-- and she is a LOT closer.
 I am importing fertility ( composted cow and horse manure- cost= 1 quart of gasoline to transport 3 tons) for the market and home gardens- I know the state ag laws better than the health department, soil and water people, and the extension office do. My next purchases- a pressure canner and a solar battery charger for the 12 volt refrigerator. Things i  bought up in classes two and three years ago are coming to fruition-- and a former classmate looked me up a few weeks ago, wanting to know--
where can I get 'clean' food?
 Has everyone seen the reports about plastic containers? Another source of concern for people-a waste of resources in more than one area, as far as I am concerned. Then ther eports about pharmnaceuticals in the municipal water supplies will certainly send some demands 'over the top'- but don't expect people to accept food with the least bit of soil on it, lest it be 'contaminated' with something they really know nothing about.
  The media puts the hype on the wrong areas-- and they offer no solutions that are practical for the average person. I often wondered, for years, why  the Heifer Project does not help  US citizens start farms- certainly, that in itself could help alleviate the local supply issues here....
 
 Terry W
 Frosted Acres

On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 12:33 AM, Tradingpost <tradingpost@lobo.net> wrote:

Right. And that's where I come in. Farmers markets and the like are exploding all over the country. You know about preserving produce, so what's not in season is less a problem.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 4/23/2008 at 11:55 PM Liz wrote:

>At 11:20 AM 4/23/2008, you wrote:
>>This type of thinking only exacerbates the problem.  The focus needs to
>be -
>>load up your pantry from your little garden.  Oh and pass laws in your
>town
>>that lets you have a few hens and a couple mini goats so you dont need to
>go
>>to the store for your eggs, milk and cheese.  Just a thought.
>
>I agree, but the sad fact is that there are people who can't have
>even a little garden. They have no choice but to stockpile what food
>they can buy. One of my daughters lives in urban Baltimore, in a row
>house with a back yard about the size of my tiny living room. She
>planted veggies in planters last year. The neighbors and transients
>stole some of it and the rats got the rest. There is no community
>garden space available to her, at least not within possible commuting
>distance for someone who doesn't have a car (and Baltimore's mass
>transit system leaves a lot to be desired). About the best she can do
>is to grow some herbs in her kitchen window, which gets an hour or so
>of sun a day. So her only option is to stockpile non-perishables, and
>there are millions of people in similar or worse circumstances
>(living in apartment buildings, for example, with no balconies or roof
>access).
>
>What really bothers me about that article is the thought of people
>rushing out to buy empty calories--boxes of noodle casseroles, and
>sugar-laden cereals, and canned pasta.
>
>Liz in SW VA
>http://life-as-a-spectator-sport.com
>
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